Illusion 15

Sarah waited three days before she could even watch them from the observation room. She had been just too angry at them for this very stupid move. Though part of her couldn't blame them if she had family on the outside would she have done the same? She sighed just as Raferty pushed open the door; he was carrying two lattes in his hands.

"self torture isn't good for the soul" said Raferty. he handed her one of the cups. She took it from his hands and took a sip. She was frowning at the huge piece of glass that separated them from the solitary rooms.

"You did the right thing you know they need to stop being coddled" said Raferty "yeah I know I just wish they didn't have to live through Xavier" said Sarah. Raferty shrugged "maybe that's what they need a little ball busting never hurt anyone" said Raferty

Sarah snorted "which one of your ex-wives said that?" said Sarah "hm, number four I think" said Raferty. Sarah laughed at his carefree statement. "They may resent me for doing this" said Sarah "would you rather have their resentment or there funerals?" said Raferty

Sarah frowned at her latte cup and looked up at Caleb's cell. "Truthfully?" said Sarah Raferty nodded yes for her to continue "I would rather they hate my guts then to have to shoot them again" said Sarah. Raferty nodded in understanding "yeah loves a bitch like that" said Raferty "planning to stay for his pep talk?" said Raferty

Sarah nodded yes. "he won't be nice" said Raferty "I don't expect him to be, he wasn't with me" said Sarah Raferty took a sip of his latte before replying. "no some things are best left to assholes aren't they?" said Raferty the door in the cell block opened right on that cue and in walked Xavier.

"speaking of which" said Sarah. Raferty chuckled and took another drink of his latte. She hated what was about to happen but she had agreed to it. The boys needed to know what would happen to them the next time they tied up the agencies resources so thoroughly. Sarah took a sip of her latte, silently thanking gawd that no crisis had occurred while the boys were being retrieved. Though she wouldn't put it past Xavier to make up something just as a guilt trip for them.

Though personally she didn't care what method he used to get them to comply. Her teammates had become her family while she was here and they wouldn't like being exposed just because the boys were home sick.

"the shows about to start" said Raferty Sarah smiled grimly and stepped forward to turn up the audio feed she wanted to hear this. "do you like your new accommodations?" said Xavier Caleb and the others glared at him.

"well you should they were well paid for by your government" said Xavier. Pogue snorted at his statement "let me guess you don't care for authority mister tough guy, lone wolf whatever" said Xavier

Xavier paced the floor in front of the cages. In fact he was surprised he was the one doing this. Even more surprised that Sarah had relinquished her command of this group to him. Though he was glad she realized that she couldn't lead a group when she had romantic relations with one of its members. he was going to really enjoy this and Sarah knew it.

He almost had some respect for her because of it. Well almost as much as he could give to one of the freaks anyways. "Well guess what assholes your mine now, yeah that's right Sarah's not your intake anymore I am" said Xavier he stopped in front of Caleb's cell

"But don't worry you'll see her again and I look forward to seeing her wipe the floor with you four" said Xavier

Xavier paced down the cells fronts again and stopped somewhere near dead center. "frankly I'm disappointed in you boys, what's with the running home to mommy shit little girls do that shit, oh and by the way ours have more of a backbone than to even try" said Xavier

"You can't keep us here" said Reid Xavier turned towards him like a hawk swooping down on a mouse. "Do you want to bet on that lawyer's son?" said Xavier

Xavier opened the folder he was carrying and pulled out a photo of a young woman. "recognize her?" said Xavier. he held the photo up so Reid could see"yeah she's one of the secretaries in my dad's office, why?" said Xavier

He rifled through the folder again and pulled out a second photo "recognize her now?" said Xavier. The woman in question was missing half her face now and had obviously been shot in the head.

"she took video footage of your visit she was going to the media with it, apparently the clean up crew was ineffective with her wipe, sometimes happens for some reason some are immune most fortunately aren't" said Xavier

He smirked wickedly at Reid's shocked face. "Here since it's your fault she's dead have something to remember her by" said Xavier. he tossed both photos at reids feet. Reid stared in shock at the hideous photos

"Man that's sick what's wrong with you?" said Pogue "what's wrong with me! No gentlemen what's wrong with you that you place yourselves above everything and everyone in this place!" said Xavier.

Sarah silently cheered him on she may have hated the man but he had a point. The boys were spoiled brats; the son's of Ipswich was some sort of country club for witches to them.

"we didn't" Caleb started to protest "what's' that rich pretty boy you didn't run home to mommy so you could have your trust fund back?" said Xavier "hey man it's not like that they kidnapped us" said Tyler

"oh boo bloody hoo" snapped Xavier "oh grow up will you, even the eight year old acts more mature than you four" said Xavier "dude then why don't you let us go?" said Pogue "oh go you want to go home what the matter girly boy too much for you, afraid you'll break a nail?" said Xavier

Raferty snorted in laughter then took a sip of his latte to cover it. Sarah was grinning she had to agree with Xavier. Pogue was a bit of a baby. "Well that's just too bad gentlemen you don't have an escape clause here you either do or you die" said Xavier

Then he walked out of the room. Sarah nodded in approval. His methods were harsh but so was the reality of their situation. They could not and would not be allowed to jeopardize the project. It was just too important for it to fail.

"are you going to be ok with that if it happens?" said Raferty. Sarah blinked back to the here and now."I guess I have to be don't I?" said Sarah. Raferty put his hand on her shoulder.

"Hey you'll see them again" said Raferty. she sighed sadly. That would be entirely up to how they acted in the near future "perhaps it's better if they didn't, they don't need the distraction" said Sarah "we'll perhaps in the future" said Raferty

Sarah nodded and headed out the door tossing her empty coffee cup in the trash as she passed a can. She got on the elevator and rode it to her floor. She didn't envy the boys; they had just consigned themselves to hell. It could have been pleasant for them here.

They had changed that for whatever misguided reasons they had been thinking about. Now they would effectively be under house arrest, they would be monitored constantly. There stuff searched periodically until they proved they could be trusted.

Unfortunately that would be awhile and Sarah didn't feel like losing her hard earned status because she fraternized with the wrong person. So she would wait see how they did, keep her self uber busy so she didn't have to avoid them. She closed the door and sank to the floor behind it.

Tears were filling her eyes as she thought about what she was going to have to do. Raferty and the others had always talked about sacrificing themselves for the needs of others. She leaned her head back against the door."I guess this is my sacrifice" she murmured softly.

She wiped fulitly at one eye, she just hoped what she was doing here was worth the price of her heart or was the dream they sold her all an illusion.